1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle instrument clusters generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to novel user controllable color lighting in a vehicle instrument cluster.
2. Background Art
Vehicle instrument clusters of the type under consideration here are found, for example, in automobiles, trucks, watercraft, aircraft, ATVs, and the like. Most, if not all, vehicle instrument clusters include some means of artificial lighting of the elements of the instrument cluster, generally in the form of electrical illumination to provide backlighting of the elements of the instrument cluster. Illumination, of course, is required to permit the operator of a vehicle and others, if necessary, to read in conditions of otherwise low visibility the gages, dials, etc. that are included in the instrument cluster.
Known vehicle instrument clusters provide illumination in only a narrow range of frequencies such that the illumination appears to be of a single, particular color. Usually, some means is provided to permit the operator of the vehicle to adjust the intensity of the illumination. While the preferred level of intensity will vary among operators of a vehicle, having the ability to make adjustments to the intensity to suit various operators is, of course, desirable such that the intensity not be too high or too low to the degree that the level of intensity of illumination interferes with the comfort of a vehicle operator or the safe operation of the vehicle.
No known illuminated vehicle instrument clusters permit the operator of a vehicle to adjust the color of the illumination of the vehicle instrument cluster or to vary the colors of the illumination for various portions of the vehicle instrument cluster. While such ability to adjust color could satisfy personal comfort and esthetic preferences, varying the colors of the illumination for various portions of the vehicle instrument cluster can also increase the level of safe operation of the vehicle by permitting the operator of the vehicle, for example, to set a bright color for the speed indicating portion of the vehicle instrument cluster and to set a less bright color for the tachometer and fuel level indicating portions of the vehicle instrument cluster. Thus, immediately important portions of the vehicle instrument cluster can be highlighted in terms of color and intensity, while less immediately important portions of the vehicle instrument cluster can be more subdued in terms of color and intensity of illumination thereof.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide user controllable color lighting in a vehicle instrument cluster.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such user controllable color lighting that permits the operator of a vehicle to vary the intensity of the color lighting.
It is another object of the invention to provide such user controllable color lighting that permits the operator of a vehicle to vary the color of illumination of various portions of the vehicle instrument cluster.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such user controllable color lighting that permits the operator of the vehicle to vary both the color and intensity of illumination of various portions of the vehicle instrument cluster.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such user controllable color lighting that can be economically implemented in a vehicle instrument cluster.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.
The present invention achieves the above objects, among others, by providing, in a preferred embodiment, a user controllable lighting system for a vehicle instrument cluster, comprising: selection means to select a color scheme for individual gage area components of said vehicle instrument cluster; illumination means to illuminate said individual gage area components in accordance with selections made by said selection means; and control means operatively connected to said selection means and to said illumination means to receive said selections made by said selection means and to furnish instructions to said illumination means.